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Full Program and Timetable

Student Programs

For full details of each session refer to the full IAC Education Programs booklet above.

Where's the evidence? Think like a scientist.

Think like a scientist. Interpret, analyse, and draw conclusions. Using State Library data and resources, students will engage in scientific inquiry skills to pose questions; devise a hypothesis; critically test and evaluate their findings; and communicate their outcomes and discoveries to one another. The session concludes with a 30 minute self-guided experience of the 'From Outback to Outer Space: Woomera 1955 - 1980' exhibition, using "closer looking" experience cards.

The session begins with a 30 minute self-guided experience of the 'From Outback to Outer Space: Woomera 1955 - 1980' exhibition using closer looking experience cards. Enhancing their digital skills using iPads, students will search the library collections for resources that relate to Woomera, space exploration, and climate. Using these items and working in pairs they will create posters with the Glogster app.

Using 3D glasses, students will experience an interesting visual journey through space highlighting the features of the Solar System and Universe with easily understood information, recent exciting discoveries, explanations of common myths about space and space travel achievements. Included will be a competition quiz with a prize based on the information presented as well as access to NASA's disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

A journey to Mars is seriously being considered in the near future. Fascinating facts about what it is like for an astronaut to live and work in space today are described, and compared to the dangers and survival needs for people going to and living on Mars. The features of Mars with new discoveries and common myths about Mars and space travel are also explained. A competition quiz will be included with a prize, and students will have access to NASA's disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

Learn about the rigorous training astronauts need to work successfully in the dangerous space environment. Daily tasks that are more difficult in space, such as eating, sleeping and personal hygiene are described, as well as the hazards of space travel affecting successful manned deep space missions. These challenges will need to be overcome for successful deep space missions to Mars or a return to the Moon. A competition quiz will be included with a prize, and students will have access to NASA's disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

A facilitated program of inquiry in 3 stages: students will explore the universe through an installation of images from the Hubble Space Telescope, get an introduction to the realities of life in space while viewing the memorabilia of Adelaide-born astronaut Dr Andrew Thomas, and connect with an Aboriginal and South African perspective on the Southern Hemisphere night sky in the Square Kilometre Array Shared Sky Indigenous Art Exhibition.

A coding and computational thinking workshop, using a thinking activity to develop an algorithm, which is then used to program a Sphero robot. The program concludes with a challenge to program the robot through a simulated Mars terrain.

Knowledge about the Solar System bodies and the universe is increasing rapidly with advances in technology and research. This presentation will highlight many exciting recent discoveries and fascinating facts to learn more about the known features of the Solar System and universe. It will also include new, easily understood scientific challenges to current understandings about the Solar System and universe, and explanations for common myths about space. A competition quiz will be included with a prize, and students will have access to NASA's disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

Learn about space food, the problems of eating and drinking in space, and the importance of the nutritional aspect of food in replacing various vitamins and minerals that are lost from the body due to the effects of weightlessness. Students will devise a space food menu.

This interactive question and answer session starts with an overview of the Viking Mars Mission and enables students to explore the concept of "what is life?" and searching for life on Mars - Viking style. The basic elements for a Mars mission are introduced: designing instruments, engineering, sterilization, understanding results. These are presented at a foundational level to help students understand the high level concepts, and the interesting science and engineering behind these.

This interactive session enables children to build a broader view of the plethora of roles needed for space exploration (e.g. creative, human resource, and leadership roles), beyond the traditionally associated fields of astronaut, scientist, and engineer. We introduce the roles based on real Viking Mars Mission phases from concept to launch and analysis. We will use Viking roles to talk about interests, skills and abilities, as well as education. We will do some interactive "applying for jobs" based on students' interests and run group "interviews", where students answer questions that might be asked in a real interview. These will be carefully chosen to ensure students feel empowered.

Northrop Grumman Foundation presents a thought provoking and awe-inspiring documentary about NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the next generation flagship observatory. Presented by program scientists and engineers followed by a Q & A session. A journey of discovery, the JWST will travel 1.5 million kilometres from Earth to discover the first stars to form in our universe. The film and developed resources for students and teachers support STEM learning outcomes.

Teacher Programs

For full details of each session refer to the full IAC Education Programs booklet above.

International Space Education Board - Teacher PL (2 days)

Classroom Instruction That WorksAn introduction to researched/evidence-based teaching strategies, including incorporating these into an existing unit/lesson plan and sample learning activities. Participants will design effective science instruction, applying strategies using a structured lesson schema. Computational ThinkingDiscover the worlds of computer programming and robotics using SPRK+ robots, using the Scratch language. Connect STEM learning to computer coding and make discoveries about the nature of matter by creating animations.CSIRO Pulse@ParkesExperience this highly recommended CSIRO program that places students in control of the Parkes Radio Telescope to observe pulsars. Robert Hollow explains the interpretation of pulsar data and the techniques for collecting it. Participants will take over The Dish, and collect and analyse pulsar data.

An activity-filled workshop suitable for emerging to advanced STEM teachers of Year 5 to 10, to grow an understanding of STEM learning with a range of takeaway hands-on STEM activities for use in your classroom.

Unpack the Digital Technologies: Australian Curriculum, learn how to launch it into your classroom, and connect with themes including space and problem-solving. A hands-on workshop with introductory coding and computational thinking using plugged and unplugged approaches. Learn about free resources that can help you support your professional learning in Digital Technologies into the future.

Navigate the three big ideas of Learning Technology with the most recent frameworks for Australian Curriculum Design and Digital Technologies. This workshop for Technologies leaders and teachers from R to 12 will expand your thinking from the ICT general capability, to the full scope for integrating Learning Technologies using the SAMR framework (Puentadura). Some cutting-edge examples of transformative ICTs from the field in SA will help you redefine your technologies pedagogy.

Learn about the rigorous training astronauts need to work successfully in the dangerous space environment. Daily tasks that are more difficult in space, such as eating, sleeping and personal hygiene are described, as well as the hazards of space travel affecting successful manned deep space missions. Misconceptions about space travel, fascinating facts and simple analogies for the classroom are provided. The presentation finishes with exciting satellite images of places on Earth and access to NASA's disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

Scientists and artists share a common goal of asking big questions and searching for answers: what is true and why does it matter? Join us to explore ways to teach and learn about sparking curiosity through combining science and the arts in three new space-themed exhibitions presented by the South Australian Museum. The evening will begin with a moderated Q&A discussion on the shared inquisitiveness of artists and scientists with our panel of astronomers, image makers and artists, followed by wine and cheese, networking and an opportunity to view the Museum’s three space-themed exhibitions: The Shared Sky Indigenous Astronomical Art Project, astoundingly beautiful Hubble telescope images paired with artworks and a display of objects taken to space by Adelaide-born astronaut Dr Andrew Thomas.

This session will present a history of Australian space activities from the beginnings of the Space Age in the 1950s to today. It will provide teachers who plan to bring their students to the "From the Outback to Outer Space" exhibition with an understanding of the background context of the exhibition, but will also be valuable for teachers of Modern History, History of Technology, Aboriginal Studies, Economics, Geography and Womens' Studies. It will include a walk-through of the exhibition with its curator.

Updating the Solar System and Universe with New Discoveries and Fascinating Facts

Knowledge about the Solar System and the universe is increasing rapidly with advances in technology and research. This presentation highlights many recent discoveries about the Solar System and universe, and new scientific challenges to current understandings of the Solar System and universe. Simple ideas for the classroom, analogies to assist in explaining concepts, clarifications of astronomy misconceptions, fascinating facts, and useful images are included to complement student learning and interest in space science and STEM. The presentation finishes with exciting satellite images of Earth and access to NASA’s disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

A journey to Mars in the near future is being considered by international governments and private organisations. This presentation explains what life is like for an astronaut in space today, and the requirements/dangers of human survival during future spaceflight to Mars. Features of Mars with new discoveries, how to possibly survive on Mars, and misconceptions related to Mars are explained. Useful ideas, fascinating facts, and simple analogies for the classroom provide a deeper understanding of space travel and the planet Mars. The presentation finishes with exciting satellite images of places on Earth and access to NASA’s disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

As advances in space travel continue, governments and private organisations are planning to potentially return to the Moon, construct a space station in lunar orbit as a gateway to deep space missions, or for space tourism. This presentation highlights the life of an astronaut in space, challenges for astronauts to go beyond Low Earth Orbit, and survive the extreme hazards of the deep space environment. Learn about new moon-related discoveries, analogies to explain space concepts, clarifications of misconceptions about the Moon, fascinating facts, and simple useful ideas for the classroom. The presentation finishes with exciting satellite images of Earth and access to NASA’s disk of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts on Missions 15, 16, and 17.

Space sciences are not merely isolated to the ACARA strands of Earth and Space science, but also inform our understandings of the development of our own Earth as an interconnected system, (e.g. the carbon cycle, Earth spheres etc). Learn how to implement a STEM project through the Biology sub-strand of the Year 9 science curriculum, designing terrariums from base-geometric shapes and creating a 3D construct capable of supporting a self-designed mini ecosystem. The final project enables an exploration of the terraforming nature of photosynthetic life forms through atmospheric conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen rich environments, with application towards future worlds.

Ever wondered how space vehicles get into and stay in orbit around the Earth or Moon? In this interactive workshop participants engage with the challenge of learning how to program a Sphero robot to go into earth orbit and then transfer to moon orbit and back.

Space travel and the possibility of terraforming on another planet such as Mars will require sustainable resources. This hands-on workshop will use the STELR Renewable Energy resources and Sustainable Housing resources to investigate how energy can be generated and stored on another planet; and how the right design and choice of building materials can minimise energy use in sustainable buildings.